1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and more particularly is directed to a device thereof for loading a tape-like substance, in which the tape-like substance, such as tape, film or the like, is conveyed with air through a duct as a tape path. The device of this invention is best suited for an open reel tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In relation to a tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus, various devices for loading a tape-like substance are already known, in which the tape-like substance is automatically conveyed with air (by suction) from a supply-reel's side to a take-up-reel's side through a predetermined tape path, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,127,120 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,831.
However, such a device has been applied to a magnetic recording apparatus having stationary heads and a simple tape path, so that it is difficult to apply such a device to a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus which has a rotary head and a complex tape path including a peripheral path along the periphery of the rotary head.
Such a magnetic recording apparatus as to have a rotary drum and an automatic device for loading a tape-like substance by suction, has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,791, U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,041 and so forth, but in such an apparatus, a tape is drawn out by suction within airtight casings as illustrated in the drawings of the documents, so that the apparatus is apt to be large. Moreover, it is difficult to apply such a device to a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a large angle of contact of a tape with a rotary drum.
Thus, such devices as mentioned above are not applied to a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a complex tape path for winding the tape-like substance on the periphery of the rotary head at a large angle of contact.